I woke up one morning at 4:44 a.m.

I've been thinking about the portfolio for a while and doing some prep work. However, at the same time, there were some uncertainties. I didn't know what colours to use until the idea came to me at 4:44 a.m. that particular morning. I should just use the colours from Jay-Z's album 4:44.

The album was released at a very special time in his career. Jay-Z had finally made it to the billionaire's club. He was no longer a rapper and a street hustler, but a businessman, a husband, and a father. Matured, experienced and wealthy, yet, he still struggles with many problems he’s had for years. Fame, success, setbacks, racism, betrayals, the possibility that he cheated on his wife — it's the most loaded and serious discussion that he has delivered.

This portfolio is an attempt to recapture the feeling when I appreciated the album for the very first time. It's complicated but fulfilling. This is the best work I've produced so far, and I drew inspirations from many places I visited along the way. I credited them in the about page.